The Forgotten Mate and The Alpha Prince

Chapter Two – The Forgotten Mate and The Alpha Prince.

Chapter Two – The Forgotten Mate.

The skin on Alisha’s back burnt slightly as she sat down at the large pine kitchen table. She was slightly confused, even for the Delta administering the punishment, it had been a lot less brutal than normal.

Daphne offered her a warm smile, placing a plate filled with bacon, sausage, eggs, and two slices of toast in front of her.

“Eat up, I have placed a caution board on the door, with a bucket full of bleach just beyond it, to keep anyone from entering.” Daphne winked.

Iesha looked at the plate full of food, her eyes watering slightly with emotion that today her tummy would be full.

Alisha and Iesha ate the food as quickly as they could in silence. Iesha bent forwards slightly, placing her hands on her tummy.

“Cramps?” Alisha whispered to her young sister.

“Yes.” Iesha nodded, her face wincing with pain.

It was always the same, if they managed to have a full meal, both sisters experienced strong tummy pain, due to the lack of food inside them.

“Here, take a drink of this cup of tea,” Daphne said, passing the steaming hot cup over to both girls.

Gratefully, they sipped from their cups, allowing the warm liquid to soothe the ache in their stomachs.

Gathering the plates from the table, Daphne scrapped the remaining food, into the large bin. It broke her heart to not be able to give the girls the leftovers, but it was too dangerous. If they were caught then Alisha would face yet more of the brutality that the Matlock packs ranked wolves loved to bestow on her. Daphne felt helpless, her eyes stung with tears as she remembered happier times. Times when Alisha would run into her kitchen at Edensor, her infectious giggle filling the room, as she played a joke on her father or mother. She would grab a home-baked biscuit, and sit with a glass of warm milk, chatting to her about her day at school, or her junior alpha training she had embarked on with her father. She was happy then; they were all happy. Iesha brought yet more happiness to their lives, the young pup dragging the biggest stuffed unicorn you had ever seen around with her, everywhere she went. But all that changed in the blink of an eye. The attack had come swiftly, or people thought. Rogues out on the country mile shifted bringing the Alpha and Beta’s cars to a halt, ripping not only the Alpha from his pack, but the Luna, Beta, Delta, and Gamma, leaving no one to lead Edensor. Alisha was but a child, unable to rule, and so Jabez stepped forward, declaring a lifelong friendship with Alpha Graham, and the order was granted to integrate the packs, until such times that Alisha had come of age, and could lead Edensor once more, the wolves all returning to their homelands, returning to happier times once more.

It had been four months since Alisha had come of age, but still, she remained wolf-less, unable to take her rightful place, as the leader of the small Edensor pack. Daphne believed with all her heart, that the lack of food coupled with the constant punishments was the primary reason for her true leader’s dormant wolf. She also believed but dared not voice, that the attack was not an unfortunate accident, but clearly, a well-thought-out plan to strengthen the Matlock pack to increase its numbers, to match Derby pack’s size, as well as bring the strategically placed Edensor pack lands under their command.

“Go now, Alisha, but come back one hour after lunch is served.”

Alisha walked over to the elderly omega, placing her hand on her heart.

“Thank you, stay safe Daphne.” She said to the closest person she had to a mother now, then gathered Iesha and left for the basement to continue with her chores.

As Alisha hunched over the stone floor, scrubbing it on her hands and knees, Iesha skipped happily into the laundry room.

“Alisha, it is true. Prince Asher Colton is coming to visit. That is all Honey can talk about. They are planning a ball in his honour when he arrives. The alpha will not return until tomorrow.”

Alisha spared her young sister a smile, she still believed in the beauty of a monarchy, her young mind inquisitive, excited to see the comings and goings of a pack deemed worthy enough for the Royal visit. Alisha, though, did not hold such pleasant thoughts about the prince’s visit. To her, it was just a stark reminder that there was no protection for any wolf with a high rank, only those that were omega. Yes, that was a good thing, better than what was before, according to her father, during many of their lessons, but still, she was overlooked, and her plight was forgotten. It seemed only Omega and human rights were worth equality, not the rights of alpha-blooded orphans.

“Do you think he will wear a crown?” Iesha excitedly asked.

“I don’t know. If it is a state visit, then potentially. But normally for pack visits, he will be dressed no better than the Alpha on a full moon.” Alisha answered honestly.

“Oh, I would have liked to see a prince with a crown. I wonder, will princess Rebecca come? I hear her hair is as smooth as silk and as purple as a royal robe.” Iesha chatted happily.

Alisha offered nothing more than a soft smile, not wanting to take away her sister’s happy thoughts, although she did not share her excitement.

The door to the laundry opened, as the Delta walked in.

“You two. Go to the kitchen, you are to eat.” He declared, before turning on his heel and leaving them.

Iesha looked up at her sister, her eyes wide with shock. Alisha simply shrugged at the unasked question, placing her scrubbing brush back into the bucket of water, then stood up, wiping her hands on her threadbare leggings with more than a few holes in the fabric. Then turning to her sister, she stretched out her hand, clasping Iesha’s in hers, as they made their way up the stone spiralled staircase that lead to the ground floor of the pack house. As they reached the kitchen Daphne welcomed the sisters, and a bowl of hot chicken soup, with a slice of fresh crusty bread, sat on the table.

“Take a seat, the Alpha has ordered you be fed, every day until the prince arrives.” Daphne smiled warmly.

Alisha locked eyes with the elderly omega, she would not refuse the food, for her sister’s sake, but she was also no fool. Alisha understood, just as Daphne that this was no act of kindness or repentance from the Alpha, it was merely a way to conceal the truth of how they were made to live in this place.

“There will be some new clothes for you to wear when the prince arrives,” Daphne informed Alisha, as Lesha smiled happily, jumping from foot to foot with glee, dreaming of a pretty dress that she might get to wear.

Alisha sat at the table and spooned some of the hot soup into her mouth, shaking her head slightly.

“I suppose I am not to be whipped either.” She asked with a humourless laugh.

“I do not know. But I would guess they would not want you to be seen with marks on your back.” Daphne sighed, placing another bowl of soup down, then sitting, before drinking her own broth.

“I will not wear their clothes. If the Prince comes, he will see me as they treat me.” Alisha determined.

"But you will eat Alisha, strengthen yourself. Strengthen your wolf." Daphne advised.

Alisha sighed, then slowly nodded her head.

“Only so I might lead us all back to Edensor, once my wolf makes her appearance.”

“Alisha, can I wear the pretty clothes?” Iesha asked, her big hazel eyes pleading with her older sister.

Alisha took a deep inhale of breath, she longed for her sister to realise that by doing what Jabez wanted, she was dancing to his tune. They, neither of them, were born to follow his orders, but she was just a small girl, who had known more hardship than she should have, and Alisha did not have the heart to refuse her the happiness a pretty dress would bring her.

“Yes, if you like.” Alisha smiled, then took another spoon full of the soup and placed it in her mouth.

Iesha smiled happily, grabbing some of the bread and dipping it into her soup.

“Not too much bread Iesha, else your tummy will cramp again,” Daphne warned the ten-year-old.

“Eat till you are full, but not a mouthful more Iesha, we are not used to having a lot of food, they are going to give us three meals a day. It will stretch us and hurt.” Alisha advised her sister.

Iesha nodded her small head, heeding her sister’s advice, knowing all too well that her tummy was already sore from eating breakfast this morning.

“So, do you know when his royal arse will arrive?” Alisha asked.

“Three weeks, we do not know why,” Daphne answered.

“So now Jabez and his b***h are worried that word has gotten to them about me and Iesha,” Alisha said her voice thick with malice.

“Yes, however, Luna Qamra was heard saying she was hopeful that he comes to claim Honey now that she is of age. That the Queen knows via her gift of prophecy that she is his mate.” Daphne shrugged.

“Then she is as stupid as she is ruthless,” Alisha shrugged.

“How do you know Alisha? Maybe Prince Asher is Honey’s mate.” Iesha asked.

“Maybe, but I doubt it. Every Alpha’s unmated daughter and their Luna are hoping the same. The probability is, he is only here to check the pack, make his visit as his father did 6 years ago, then return to Scotland and back to his pack. It is tragic really, living for the hope that you be bonded to a man who will give you a throne, rather than striving to make something of your life in your own right.” Alisha shook her head.

“Maybe he comes to see if you have been released to set up your pack,” Daphne said, raising her eyebrow.

“What the mighty prince wants to know how we are doing? Too little too late.” Alisha huffed shaking her head.

“It is not the prince’s fault Alisha. Remember who the real enemy is.” Daphne softly told her reaching out and taking her hand in hers.

Alisha inhaled another breath and nodded, the old Omega was right, the royal family had changed things for the better. She understood that Daphne could remember the time before they waged war on the corrupt council. But still, she felt the sting of rejection that they knew nothing of her plight and had not helped rescue her and her sister from the tyranny of Alpha Jabez.